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Project Noah Nature School
Oncopeltus fasciatus
Adults can range from 10–18 mm in length and have a red/orange and black X-shaped pattern on their wings underneath the triangle that is typical to hemipterans. This feature makes the bug easily seen, acting as a aposematic warning to predators of distastefulness. O. fasciatus exhibits müllerian mimicry and is noxious to predators. The ventral side of the fourth abdominal segment bears a black band in the male and two black spots in the female. Juveniles are born mostly red with black antennae and a few black spots, throughout growth the black spots are developed as well as wing pads.
Spotted on a Milkweed plant near Grassy Lake.
Spotted on Sep 13, 2018
Submitted on Sep 21, 2018
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